It was great to see a number of personal bests from Team GB athletes at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics:
Amy Williams – GOLD in the Women's Skeleton! First Team GB Olympic Winter gold medal since Women's Curlers in 2002.
John & Sinead Kerr – Ice Dancing - personal best in compulsory dance (37.02), season’s best in free dance (92.23)
Nick Buckland & Penny Coomes - Ice Dancing - personal best in free dance (71.60)
David King & Stacey Kemp – Pairs, Figure Skating - personal best score (139.94 to finish 16th)
Jon Eley – Short Track 1000m - personal best time (1:25.588)
Elise Christie – Short Track 500m – best world level finishing position (11th)
Chemmy Alcott – Alpine Skiing – 11th in Super Combined, equalled her best Olympic finish
AJ Rosen – Luge – 16th, equalled best Olympic finish by a Team GB luger
Lee Jackson – Biathlon – Equalled personal best in 10km Sprint (time: 27:18.1) becoming the first Briton every to qualify for Olympic pursuit by finishing 55th
Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas – Women's Bobsleigh – 11th
We're looking forward to seeing what ParalympicsGB can achieve when the Vancouver Paralympics start next week.
At the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) we're encouraging every member off staff to push beyond their own personal best as they carry out their roles as we all work towards the Games in 2012. In doing so, we believe we'll be able to create something that truly inspires lasting change.
In fact, we'd like everyone to think about how they can beat their own PB.
It doesn't have to be the same level as we saw from the Team GB athletes with their awesome elite performances. It's more a way of challenging yourself to make a positive change to your life. It could be a simple as challenging yourself to walk to a further bus stop every day. Eating one more portion of fruit or veg a day. Spending an hour a week volunteering in your community. Taking up a hobby you always wanted to do – photography, salsa dancing, gardening.
Hundreds of events at London 2012 Open Weekend – running for the third time this year, in July – will be incorporating some kind of challenge into their activities. We're looking forward to see what organisers come up with: from the biggest aerobics class to creating and putting on a play in a day.
What could you do to push beyond your own personal best?
Me? Having never run a half-marathon, I'm challenging myself to do the Great North Run this year. I'm already slightly nervous at the thought of it, but...
